Ivan IV Vasilyevich, known as Ivan the Terrible, was born on August 25, 1530, in the village of Kolomenskoye near Moscow. His parents were Prince Vasily III of the Rurik dynasty and the Lithuanian princess Elena Glinskaya. Ivan was the eldest son and was to inherit the throne upon reaching adulthood. However, at the age of three, he nominally became tsar as his father fell seriously ill and soon died. Five years later, Ivan's mother, Princess Elena, also passed away, leaving him an orphan at the age of eight.

Ivan's childhood was spent in an atmosphere of palace coups, intrigues, and power struggles, which greatly influenced his character, making him harsh. The guardians paid little attention to the heir, focusing on their own affairs and settling scores with his entourage. Ivan lived in poverty, experiencing a lack of food and clothing, which bred cruelty and aggression in him, first directed at animals and later towards the Russian people.

Power in the country was concentrated in the hands of the Shuisky and Belsky princes, nobleman Mikhail Vorontsov, and relatives on his mother's side, the Glinskys. They squandered state property, which was noticeable even to young Ivan. In 1543, Ivan first showed his character by ordering the execution of Andrei Shuisky. From that moment, he began to be feared, and power shifted to the Glinskys, who sought to gain Ivan's trust.

Despite the difficult circumstances, Ivan studied a lot and read, becoming one of the most educated rulers of his time. However, he remained a hostage to the rulers, which caused him hatred and a desire for absolute power, unbound by moral laws.

In 1545, upon reaching adulthood, Ivan could rule fully. His first political decision was the desire to be crowned, which strengthened his power and improved Russia's foreign policy, raising its status in diplomatic relations with Western Europe.

With his rise to power, Ivan began reforms approved by the Chosen Council, gradually moving towards autocracy. Over ten years, he implemented major reforms, including the zemstvo reform and the creation of a new legal code that tightened the lives of the lower classes. He also introduced the gubernatorial reform, redistributing the powers of governors in favor of the nobility.

In 1550, Ivan allocated estates to the best thousand nobles from Moscow and created a shooting army armed with firearms. During this period, peasants became serfs, and European merchants were banned from entering Russia.

In foreign policy, Ivan waged numerous wars, successfully capturing Astrakhan and Kazan, and then annexing Siberian lands. In 1553, he began trade relations with England, but in 1558, he suffered defeat in a war with the Grand Duchy of Lithuania, losing part of Russian territories.

After the defeat, Ivan ceased cooperation with the Chosen Council and began repressions against those who disagreed with his policies. The second phase of his reign was even more brutal. In 1565, the oprichnina emerged in Russia, dividing the state into two parts. Oprichniks, completely loyal to the tsar, could rob and execute boyars without punishment.

In 1571, Russia was attacked by the Crimean Khan Devlet-Girey, and the oprichniks were unable to resist him. Ivan abolished the oprichnina, compiling lists of the executed and praying for their souls.

Ivan's reign ended in economic collapse and defeat in the Livonian War. He realized his mistakes and fell into despair, which led to the murder of his son Ivan Ivanovich. In his personal life, he had seven wives, the first of whom, Anastasia Zakharina-Yuryeva, bore him six children, but only Ivan and Fyodor survived.

After Anastasia's death, Ivan married Maria Cherkasskaya, who gave birth to a son who died a month later. His third marriage to Maria Sobakina lasted only 15 days. His fourth wife, Anna Koltovskaya, was sent to a monastery. His fifth wife, Maria Dolgorukaya, was drowned after the first night. His sixth wife, Anna Vasilychikova, was also sent to a monastery. His seventh wife, Maria Nagaya, gave birth to Dmitry, but after Ivan's death, she was exiled to Uglich.

Ivan the Terrible died on March 28, 1584, in Moscow while playing chess. The cause of death was osteophytes, nervous shocks, and an unhealthy lifestyle. He was 53 years old but looked like an old man. He was buried next to his son Ivan in the Archangel Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin. Rumors of his poisoning by Boris Godunov were not confirmed after the tomb was opened in 1963. With the death of Ivan the Terrible, the Rurik dynasty ended, and Russia plunged into the Time of Troubles.